Greensburg, Kan., mayor describes town’s 'green' transformation

Anyone seeking some “green” inspiration need look no further than Greensburg, Kan., the town that rebuilt itself into a sustainable community after being destroyed last year by an F-5 tornado.

Wes Franklin

Anyone seeking some “green” inspiration need look no further than Greensburg, Kan., the town that rebuilt itself into a sustainable community after being destroyed last year by an F-5 tornado.

Bob Dixson, mayor of Greensburg, was the keynote speaker Saturday at the third annual Energy, Efficiency and the Environment Conference at Crowder College.

Greensburg who gave his energy efficiency testimony, talking about what the town has done to transform itself into a totally “green” community. He is now featured on a reality TV show of the same name on Planet Green, a subsidiary of the Discovery Channel.

A couple of days after the twister leveled 95 percent of the town and killed 11 people, Dixson said residents were milling about, asking each other “what now?”

“The comment was made that ‘yes, this is devastating, but when we build back, why not built back sustainable, energy efficient and as ‘green’ as we can?’ ” Dixson said. “And that really caught fire.”

Community meetings were held once a week under a circus-like tent to talk about how the town should proceed with its “green” dream. Dixson said the community even had to be reined in a little in its eagerness to get started. Planning consultants were brought in and a scheme was drawn up.

Now, Greensburg has, or will have, several new buildings that are gold-certified in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a U.S. Green Building Council rating system. A couple of structures are even platinum-certified. The rest of the buildings and houses have been rebuilt “green” as well.

The city will soon be 100 percent wind-powered, Dixson said.

Although Greensburg sparked national awareness of sustainable energy and even brought about new policies at the state level, “green living” shouldn’t be a foreign notion, especially in the Midwest, Dixson said.

“We in rural America are the original ‘green people,’” he said. “We are conservationists. Our ancestors knew everything they needed to know about wind, solar, geo-thermal. They knew that if you took care of the land it took care of you…the concepts are not new, folks. It’s that we have the advanced technology now to take advantage of some of those concepts.”

He said how much someone wants to invest in those concepts just depends on the individual. It starts with being energy-efficient in the home, Dixson said. And it can always move on from there.

“We’re not all going to go out and change the planet, but it comes from the ground up,” Dixson said. “In your realm of influence if you can make a difference, make that difference. Because everybody has another realm of influence and it will spread like wildfire…if you do everything in your power to make a difference, it’s going to make a difference all over this planet.”

Neosho Daily News

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.